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Science Activity Sheet

Quarter 4 - MELC 5
Week 4
Conservation of Mechanical Energy

REGION VI - WESTERN VISAYAS

Science 9
Activity Sheet No. 5 Conservation of Mechanical Energy
First Edition, 2021

Published in the Philippines

By the Department of Education
Region 6 – Western Visayas

Republic Act 8293, section 176 states that: No copyright shall subsist in any
work of the Government of the Philippines. However, prior approval of the government
agency or office wherein the work is created shall be necessary for exploitation of such
work for profit. Such agency or office may, among other things, impose as a condition
the payment of royalties.

This Learning Activity Sheet is developed by DepEd Region 6 – Western

Visayas.

ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. No part of this learning resource may be

reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means electronic or mechanical
without written permission from the DepEd Regional Office 6 – Western Visayas.

Development Team of Science Activity Sheet

Writer: Jevie C. Barrera

Illustrators: Johlyn Palma
Joan Ilon
Editor: Mrs. Mila P. Bautista
Mrs. Wilhelmina S. Co
Schools Division of Capiz Management Team:
Salvador O. Ochavo, Jr.
Nicasio S. Frio
DSegundina F. Dollete
Shirley A. De Juan
Andres D. Quiachon
Glenn Dollete
Judy B. Dunton
Regional Management Team:
Ramir B. Uytico
Pedro T. Escobarte Jr.
Elena P. Gonzaga
Donald T. Genine
Rovel R. Salcedo
Moonyeen C. Rivera
Anita S. Gubalane
Minda L. Soldevilla
Daisy L. Lopez
Joseph M. Pagalaran
Joseph M. Pagalaran

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Introductory Message
Welcome to Science Grade 9!

The Learning Activity Sheet is a product of the collaborative efforts of the

Schools Division of Capiz and DepEd Regional Office VI - Western Visayas through
the Curriculum and Learning Management Division (CLMD). This is developed to
guide the learning facilitators (teachers, parents and responsible adults) in helping the
learners meet the standards set by the K to 12 Basic Education Curriculum.

The Learning Activity Sheet is self-directed instructional materials aimed to

guide the learners in accomplishing activities at their own pace and time using the
contextualized resources in the community. This will also assist the learners in
acquiring the lifelong learning skills, knowledge and attitudes for productivity and
employment.

For learning facilitator:

The Science Activity Sheet will help you facilitate the teaching-learning
activities specified in each Most Essential Learning Competency (MELC) with minimal
or no face-to-face encounter between you and learner. This will be made available to
the learners with the references/links to ease the independent learning.

For the learner:

The Science Activity Sheet is developed to help you continue learning even if
you are not in school. This learning material provides you with meaningful and
engaging activities for independent learning. Being an active learner, carefully read
and understand the instructions then perform the activities and answer the asses
sments. This will be returned to your facilitator on the agreed schedule.

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Name of Learner: _____________________________________________________
Grade and Section: ___________________________Date: ____________________

SCIENCE 9 ACTIVITY SHEET No. 5

Conservation of Mechanical Energy

I. Learning Competency with Code

Perform activities to demonstrate conservation of mechanical energy.
(S9FE-IVd-40)

II. Background Information for Learners

Have you tried riding on a roller coaster before? How does it feel? In a roller coaster
ride, the chain is driven by a motor that supplies the force to do the work on the roller coaster
car. In this instance, there is an object or body that possesses the energy that supplies the
force needed to do the work. This energy is known as mechanical energy. Mechanical
energy is the energy of an object due to its motion or position.

There are two kinds of mechanical energy. Kinetic and potential energy. Kinetic
energy is the mechanical energy due to motion, while potential energy is mechanical energy
due to position. Furthermore, gravitational potential energy is the potential energy a massive
object has in relation to another massive object due to gravity.

Energy comes in many forms and for any system, energy cannot be created nor
destroyed but can only be transformed from one form to another. This is always true for
mechanical energy, which also follows this law of conservation of energy. Ignoring frictional
force and other external forces, the total mechanical energy, which is the sum of its kinetic
and potential energies, remains constant at all points in the track. In equation form,

PE + KE = constant

In a roller coaster ride in an amusement park, do you know what sets it into motion?
The principle behind the motion of a roller coaster and pirate’s ride demonstrate transformation
of mechanical energy.

PE = 1000 J
100 m KE = 0 J

PE = 500 J
50 m KE = 500 J

PE = 0
KE = 1000 J
0

Figure 1. Transformation of energy in a roller coaster

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 In Figure 1, the roller coaster cars are pulled up to the highest point of the track (point
A) to store gravitational potential energy. The cars will then be released, converting
gravitational potential energy into kinetic energy as they move along the track. As the cars
descend, the stored potential energy decreases and the kinetic energy increases. At point B,
which is the lowest point of the track, there is a maximum amount of kinetic energy. As the
cars again move upward to point C, the kinetic energy decreases and the potential energy will
increase once again. However, due to friction, energy is lost during the cars’ motion. This
means that the cars will not reach the same height as point A unless an external force is
applied on the cars. Remember that in any point in the motion of the cars, energy is conserved.

Examine now what happens to the mechanical energy of a roller coaster. If the cart
moves from the highest position, the potential energy is at its peak while the kinetic energy is
at its lowest. And as it moves downward, the potential energy decreases while the kinetic
energy increases. And in going up the track, the kinetic energy is at its peak while the potential
energy is at its lowest. And the cycle repeats in going up and down the track but the
mechanical energy is always conserved.

The law of conservation of mechanical energy states that, ignoring frictional force and
other external forces, the total mechanical energy, which is the sum of its kinetic and potential
energies, remains constant at all points in the system.

In this learning activity, you will perform a simple activity to demonstrate the
conservation of mechanical energy.

III. Accompanying DepEd Textbook and Educational Sites

Department of Education. (2014). K to 12 Basic Education Curriculum. Science 9
Learner’s Material (pp.292-295). Pasig City, Philippines.

IV. Activity Proper

Bashing Ball!
Materials:
Any plastic/rubber soft ball available (small)
Rope
Net bag
Sturdy ceiling or covered court truss bracing or branch of a tree that is of reach

Procedure:
Important Reminder: In performing the activity, the volunteer and assistant should
wear face mask and face shield to ensure protection against any invading pathogens.

1. Request an adult family member (volunteer) to hang securely a plastic/rubber soft

ball on a sturdy ceiling, metal truss or bracing or branch of a tree with the use of
a net bag and a durable, non-slip rope. The hanging weight should be 1 meter or
a little bit farther from the ground.

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 2. Request the volunteer to stand straight on one end of the swinging path. See
figure 2 below.

A PE = Max
B PE = 0
KE = 0
KE = Max
Student
C PE = 0
KE = Max

Figure 2: Giant Pendulum Activity

3. With the volunteer remaining still and without extra head movement, you (student)
give a signal so the volunteer will release his/her hold on the ‘giant pendulum’ without
pulling or pushing it.
4. Predict and observe what happens when the shop grip ball swings back and
returns to the release point. Record your observation in your notebook.

Guide Questions
Directions: Answer the following on your answer sheet.

Q 1. Did the ball reach the tip of the nose of the student volunteer? Did it rise higher or
lower than its original height? Why?
___________________________________________________________________

Q 2. At what location(s) along the path of the shop grip ball is the ball’s kinetic energy the
greatest? Why?
___________________________________________________________________

Q 3. At what location(s) along the path of the shop grip ball is the ball’s gravitational
potential energy the greatest? Why?
___________________________________________________________________

Q 4. What can you say about the kinetic and potential energy when…
a. the shop grip ball is being held by the volunteer?
_______________________________________________________________
b. the shop grip ball was released and reached its highest point?
______________________________________________________________
c. the shop grip ball swings back and returns to the release point?
______________________________________________________________

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 The ball in your activity acts as pendulum. A pendulum is a mass hanging on
one end of a string that is attached to a fixed surface on the top. To understand more
about conservation of energy, study the movement of the pendulum in Figure 3.

Figure 3. Conservation of mechanical energy in pendulum

Consider the motion of the pendulum in Figure 3. When you pull it sideways to
position C, work is done on it. This works transforms part of your body’s energy to
potential energy of the pendulum. As the pendulum swings from C to A, its PE
changes to kinetic energy. As it continues to swing to B, the pendulums KE at A
transforms again to PE. The motion of pendulum is an example of KE and PE
exchanges or energy transformation.

V Reflection
In this lesson, as a student, what daily activities can you relate to the conservation of
mechanical energy? How?
___________________________________________________________________

VI Answer Key
The kinetic energy is zero and potential energy is maximum.
The kinetic energy is maximum and potential energy is zero.
The kinetic energy is zero and potential energy is maximum.
Q4. Possible answer:
in its swing; or point A.
Q3. The gravitational potential energy of the grip ball is highest at highest point
or point B or point C.
Q2. The kinetic energy of the grip ball is highest at the lowest point in its swing ;
released.
Q 1. Yes. The height before it was released was also the same after it was
Activity 1

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VII Links and Other References

Discover Science 9 K to 12 Edition by Ian Mark F. Alis et. Al., DIWA Learning
Systems INC 2014 (pp.302-303). Makati City, Philippines

Science and Technology K to 12 Edition by Zonia Medina-Gerona et. Al., ABIVA Publishing
House, INC. 2014 (pp. 222-223). Quezon City, Philippines